The American Heart Association has sent out an advisory stressing the importance of patients with cardiovascular disease to get their annual flu shot.

Getting vaccinated not only prevents the spread of the flu but it also prevents you from coming down with it yourself. The flu can be serious; making the elderly, those with cardiovascular disease and anyone with a weak immune system very sick.

Registered Nurse Nancy Hansen, the Infection Control Manager at Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center explains "flu is a respiratory condition that consists of fever, cough, and aches and pains."

Dr. David Bailey, a Cardiologist also at Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center says "the flu itself may account for about 36,000 deaths over the country every year so it's a big issue."

According to the American Heart Association patients with cardiovascular disease are more likely to die from the flu than patients with any other chronic condition.

"Cardiovascular patients, either with bad hearts in terms of weak muscle, heart blockages or even previous strokes should really look or think about the flu shot," says Dr. Bailey.

You need to have a flu shot every year. Last year's flu shot won't protect you this year, because the dominant strain of the flu changes every year. Last year only one in three adults with cardiovascular disease were vaccinated against the flu.

Dr. Bailey also stresses that, "It may be possible to vaccinate so many people that we could perhaps save a few hundred lives and of coarse one life is a big deal, never mind a few hundred."

So this year, let's try and make a difference.

Patients with cardiovascular disease should get vaccinated with the flu shot; however these patients should NOT get the nasal-spray flu vaccine.